The essential food basket in Portugal rose to 255.26 euros after increasing by 52 cents last week, consumer watchdog Deco Proteste announced Wednesday.
The rise marks the second consecutive week of growth for the basket, following a larger increase of 2.11 euros recorded in the previous weekly monitoring period, when the total price reached 254.73 euros.
Deco Proteste stated in a press release that between 2 September and 9 September, horse mackerel registered the largest percentage price increase, rising 23 percent to 5.46 euros per kilogram. Zucchini rose 20 percent to 2.15 euros, while canned tuna steak in olive oil increased 17 percent to 2.21 euros.
The organization monitors a benchmark basket of 63 essential food items to track cost-of-living developments across Portugal. The goods span six primary categories: meat, frozen items, fruit and vegetables, dairy products, groceries, and fish.
Specific goods tracked in the weekly survey include fresh meats such as turkey and chicken, as well as fish staples like horse mackerel and hake. The basket also covers daily produce and cupboard items, including onions, potatoes, carrots, bananas, apples, oranges, rice, spaghetti, sugar, ham, milk, cheese, and butter.
Weekly food price increases
The latest figures show that buying the same collection of items at the start of the year cost 13.34 euros less, representing a 5.55 percent increase since January. Compared to the same period one year ago, when identical goods cost 14.61 euros less, total basket costs are up by 6.07 percent.
Longer-term data collected by the consumer group illustrates a sustained increase in food costs in Portugal. At the start of 2022, shoppers paid 67.56 euros less for the same food basket, representing a 35.99 percent rise over that period.
Products with largest price rises
Compared to the same period last year, seafood products recorded some of the steepest price growth. Horse mackerel rose 43 percent to 5.46 euros per kilogram, sea bass increased 30 percent to 10.48 euros per kilogram, and large salt cod climbed 26 percent to 20.06 euros per kilogram.
Since 5 January 2022, the sharpest individual price increases have affected staple meats, fish, and vegetables. Beef for boiling logged the largest jump, doubling in price with a 101 percent increase to 11.72 euros per kilogram. Large salt cod surged 89 percent to 20.06 euros per kilogram, while savoy cabbage rose 89 percent to 1.88 euros.
Political debates over food VAT
The latest increase follows an earlier weekly rise of 1.48 euros that pushed the basket to 253.55 euros, maintaining financial pressure on households across Portugal.
Rising food prices have also fueled political debate in the country. The opposition Chega party accused the Socialist Party of hypocrisy regarding proposed reductions to value-added tax on essential food items, as politicians debate measures to relieve food inflation.
